Improvement in car-couplings



SMAHURIN.

Gar Coupling. I

N0. 109,830 Patented Dec. 6,, 18'70.'

N.FETERs. PHOTO-LITHOGRAFHER, WASHINGTON. a c.

STEPHEN MAHURIN, OF LIBERTY,ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, JAMES WQSIN- GLETON, 'AND WILLIAM A. RICHARDSON, OF QUINCY, ILLINOIS.

- Letters Patent No. 109,830, dated December 6, 1870.

IMPRGVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and makingpart of the same.

To all whom it may concern Be. it know-n that I, STEPHEN MAHURIX,Of Lib- Nature and Objects of the Invention.

Myinvention relates to that class of railway-car couplings which is automatic in its action, the attachment being effected by the buffers or feet of the coupling-bars coming in contact with each other, and as the bars are so hung as to swing vertically, having a preponderance of weight at the link end by the-concussion, the buffers are forced back-ward, bringing each link forward over the pins or project-ions with which the platform immediately in front of the coupling-bar is provided.

The links are raised and the cars uncoupled by means of a draw-rod secured to the coupling-bar below the axle on which it swings, the opposite end being attached to one end of a lever of the first kind,-

which is pivoted and swings parallel to the under side of the car. The opposite end of this lever projects beyond the side of the car, and is there attached to the lower end of a second lever pivoted and swinging parallel tothe side of the car. The upper end of the last-named lever projects above thc roof of the car, and is provided with a handle, by means of which it may be operated, a forward movement serving to elevate the link and uncouple the cars, a backward movement to lower-the link and attach the ears.

Description of the Accompanying Drawing.

Figure 1 in the accompanying drawing is a side elevation of two railway cars uncoupled, on which is shown a device embodying the invention. The arrow indicates the direction of thehead of the train, and the device is represented as attached to thc rear platform of one and the front platform of the other of the cars.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the under side of the ear, showing the arrangement and relation of the lover I), draw-rod E, and coupling-bar a.

Figure 3 is a detached top view of the platforms,- with the links as they appear when the cars are coupled, a portion of the upper link being broken out.

Figure 4 is a side view, showing the movement of the coupling-bars a and I), one side of the platform being removed.

Figure 5 is a detached perspective view of the couplingbar.

General Description.

Fig. 5 in the accompanying drawing is the coupling-bar, which consists of a bar of metal of greater width than thickness, provided at one end with a link of such interior dimensions as to freely inclose,.when the platforms are in contact, both of the projections 5 and (l. The link stands at. an angle of about fortyfive degrees to the main portion of the bar.

At the point S is provided an aperture for an axle on which the bar swings. This aperture must be at such a point in the bar as that, when the bar is hung, its weight shall decidedly prepondcratc on the link end, and also so that the distance from the center of the aperture to the inner curve of the link furthest from the aperture shall exceed the distance from said aperture, when the platforms are in cont-act, to the opposite side of the projection orpin on the car to that having the link to be coupled.

Below the aperture S is a hole, T, to receive one cnd. of the draw-rod E.

The lower end of the coupling-bar, fig. 5, is provided with afoot or buffer, 5, 'of such supcrticics as that-,.whcn the cars are on a level, the face of one buffer will, when the cars are brought together, come in contact with some portion of the face of the other.

The plane of the face of the buffer is at an angle of forty-five degrees to the vertical central plane of the body of the bar, and is parallel to the vertical plane of the link., \Vhcn the coupling-bar is properly huu g the face of the buffer fronts in the same direction as the end of the car to which the device is attached.

The cou 'lling-bars a and b are similar in construe.- tion, except that the barb is shorter, and thus its buffer is nearer the under side of the platform 0 than the face of the oppositebuffcr, as shownat fig. 1.

Both co1 ipling-bars are similarly hung, with their links above the platforms, and swing in the vertical slots, which are of such dimensions as to allow the bodyof each bar to move freely backward and forward until the link comes in contactcithcr with end of the car or is thrown into coupling position.

Each platform is provided, at its extreme edge, with points, projections, or pins 1 and d, of such height as'that the links can readily pass over them and yet not easily be thrown off by the movements of the cars.

The coupling bars a and b and the projections g and (I should be in the vertical central plane of the car.

One end of each car should be providedwvith the coupling-bar a and its appurtenances; the other end with the coupling-bar band .its appurtenances. In this manner uniformity and certainty of operation are secured.

The obj cot ofihaving the coupling-bar lrshortcr than the other, a, and consequently one buffer more elevated than the other, is in order that the semi-revu lution the barb performs when the buffers in and :v'-

that ditto. f

come in contact may be less, so that the link I) will be in position over the projections gand d before the semi-revolution of the bar a could bring its link in contact with the link of'the former, thus avoiding the possibility of the links striking each other and failing to pass over the projections, thereby preventing the coupling of the cars. f

The aperture S receives one end of the draw-rod E, the other end of which is secured to one end of a lever, G, which is pivoted to the bottom of the car,

and swings parallelthereto in such a manner as not to interfere with the wheels or brake-rods. The other end of the 'lever G projects beyond the side of the car, and is there secured to. the lower end of a lever, D, pivoted vertically to the side of the car and moving parallel thereto. The other end of the leverprojects above the roof of the car, and is provided with a handle, by means of which it is operated.

Operation.

To couple cars with both links, motion is communicated to one or both of the cars provided with the coupling-bars a and b, as shown in fig. l. The buffers :c and :v-come in contact,and' are swung backward, thus causing the coupling-bars to turn. The coupling-bar I), being shorter than the other, performs its semi-revolution in advance of the other bar, so that its link falls over and incloses the projections g and (Z, after which the link of the coupling-bar a is superposed above the link of the coupling-bar I), and incloses the upper portions of the projections g and (1. Thus the cars are securely coupled by both links.

To couple the cars with one link, secure the side lever of either coupling-bar so that it stands fixedly in the uncoupled position. Motion is communicated to the car or cars; the butter of the bar which is not secured comes in contact with that of the secured ,bar, or vice versa. This forces the'loose coupling-bar to turn, brin'ging'its link over both of the projections y and (Z, thereby coupling the cars.

To couple the cars with the side levers l), retract one lever after the other. This throws the side end of the lever D forward, the opposite end backward, bringing the draw-rodE in the same direction, carrying down each link successively-one over the projections y and cl, the other overlying the link first in position. I

It is obvious that but one coupling-bar can be used, if desired, in a similar manner.

To uncouple the cars with the side levers, throw forward the side levers D successively. This retracts the side end of the lever E, forcing the opposite ends forward, and it, acting upon the draw-rods, retracts the lower part-of the coupling-bars, and thus raises the links one after the other, thus uncoupling the cars.

The side levers D should be provided with pins and chains, or other suitable means of keeping them, when desired, in a fixed position.

The point at which the link comes in contact with the end of the car should be provided with a bumper.

Claims.

What 1 claim as myinvention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. The combination and arrangement of the coupling-bars a and I) with the projections g and (I, for the uses and purposes substantially as herein shown and set forth.

2. The coupling-bar, fig. 5, provided with the drawrod E and levers D and G, incombination withthe projections d and arranged and operated for the uses and purposes herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing improvement in car-couplin gs, as above described, I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 17th day of August,

STEPHEN MAHURIN. [L. s.]

Witnesses Geo. J. RICHARDSON, GEORGE Annowsmrn. 

